My Next Big Thing

My Next Big Thing

There is a cool blog chain going around called “The Next Big Thing.” The idea is, each writer answers some questions about their next big project and answers the questions and picks five other authors to do the same thing… encouraging people to discover other author’s and their blogs. John Everson, one of my favorite authors, asked me to do it. How could I resist?

Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:

What is your working title of your book?

Dying Days: Origins

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It is a prequel story, starring Tosha Shorb, one of the fun characters introduced in Dying Days 2. I’d written her into a short story and loved the feisty character so much, I keep writing more about her.

What genre does your book fall under?

It is a love story… if you think of zombies wanting to not only bite you but violate you love, of course. I tend to write more extreme situations. Books my kids will hopefully never read.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Tosha is a hot redhead, so an unknown actress with fiery red hair would suffice. Or the real Tosha Shorb, since the character is based on a real woman I’ve never met in person but was infatuated with her enough to add her in. Plus, she let me write some pretty graphic sex scenes about her so far. Bonus.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Will Tosha Shorb be able to survive not only the zombie apocalypse, but her ghetto neighbors in PA? Find out in Dying Days: Origins, the prequel to her role in Dying Days 2.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be released through Rymfire Undead, an imprint of Rymfire Books, like the rest of the Dying Days series.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

About six weeks, on and off. I had other projects with absolute deadlines, like my Miami Spy Games series for Hobbes End Publishing.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

My own Dying Days books. It fits right into the story as a whole, and I hope long-time fans will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Someday I hope to approach the majesty of the Mark Tufo Zombie Fallout series in terms of writing and rabid fanbase, lol.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Tosha Shorb herself (the real person, not the character). She is so enthusiastic about my writing, and told me not to hold back at all when writing her. Lesbian scenes? No problem. Selfish moves? Go for it. She wanted to be entertaining, and to be entertained.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

You get as free bowl of soup with every pre-order. OK, that might not be true. None of this might be true.